EU Monetary Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici arrived in Athens today. He talked with the Prime Minister and other important members of the cabinet about “prior actions”, austerity cuts, structural reforms and equivalent measures. One of Moscovici’s hot spots is whether the Greek government can scrap the 23% Value Added Tax in private education and replace it with an additional V.A.T. in dead cattle – call it “beef'” or walking turtles, pink martinis and blue waves. All what EU Commissioner Moscovici and the rest of Greece’s lenders care about is the jack pot amount of 300 million euro. How the government will collect it, is of no interest for them, neither whether the people can make the payments or not.
A loan is a loan is a loan is a loan is a loan… No matter what.
EU COmmissioner Pierre Moscovici ordered that the “prior actions must be concluded by November 9th.”
Monsieur Moscovici told Greek reporters that he had a very constructive meeting with PM Tsipras. He also whispered something about “investments” and “momentum” and other nice and empty diplomatic bubbles that I was unable to pay attention to as I was adding together my outstanding bills. Property tax – first tranche, building maintenance bill, telephone bills, and some unexpected extras of at least 2,000 euro. A sudden loss, a funeral, a grave… As if the death was not shocking enough. As if the death would not bring your life upside down, from one minute to the other.
Invest in death. Invest in death industry. Ceremonies with flowers and priests and church singers and workers digging your own grave.
I am cynical enough to say, the death caused the money to go round.
Invest in the state. Invest in the state industry. The President of the European Investment Bank met also with PM Tsipras today, he brought him a loan of 280 million euro to be invested in energy and electricity, in state companies. they will change electricity polls, and do this and that. The big scale plan does not affect me. As it does not affect many people like me. Greece will turn into a super modern country with top polls and electronic cards for everyone and everything. A super modern country where its people will walk in rugs.
In the next few days, a friend will be forced to empty the mini apartment he rents due to outstanding payments. Monthly rent is 200 euro. The man has been jobless since a couple of months. His last full time job was 4 years ago. We have been calling around in the last few days to find a place or some resources for him to avoid being sent to the streets.
Another friend got finally a job. The man is a university graduate, has an PhD, speaks 3 languages. He is in his late 40’s. He is proud to have finally gotten a job for €720 gross, €600 net. He counted together his monthly fixed costs without food and extras: €450. He is not sure for how long he will be hired. But he is proud because he was desperate for a damned long time time. His debts are 3 times his height.
We don’t care to hear about investment in state industries. We care about investment in very small and small and medium enterprises, and honorable wages so that we can live a descent life. But these people have no access to investment.
The gifts are from them to them. We are here to pay the interests and the capital back. And watch them gnawing the bones.
